The Good, The Bad and The Broken
by ZebbieCullen
Summary: Ranger returns to Trenton after a being away for a year and finally realises his feelings for Steph. Too bad she's already married to Morelli, will he be able to win her back? Told from Ranger's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: It's a Babe fic, and definately not Morelli friendly. This fic was actually quite hard to write, as I really do like Joe...I just like Ranger more. JE owns all things Plum and all mistakes are mine. The lyrics are taken from Far Away, by Nickelback. Let me know what you think.**

_This time, This place  
Misused, Mistakes  
Too long, Too late  
Who was I to make you wait  
Just one chance  
Just one breath  
Just in case there's just one left  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know_

I hit the down button on the elevator and glanced at my watch. Ten thirty, 21st November. A year to the day since I left Trenton. I never intended to be away for so long, but the mission got very complicated very quickly, and the government had held me up. But my contract is over now and I chose not to renew it. Needless to say, the government had not been happy that they'd lost one of their best men, but since they couldn't give me the last year of my life back, I wouldn't give them my skills or services.

"Morning, Rangeman," said Tank as I stepped out of the carriage.

I nodded in acknowledgement and walked to the control room. The mumbling instantly stopped as I entered the room. Bobby and Lester focused their attention on the screens in front of them. I picked up the keys to the Turbo. "I'm going to the bonds' office. I'll be back in about an hour," I said as I turned around. I saw them both stiffen slightly, but it was only noticeable if you knew them well enough. "How's Steph been?" I asked.

I hadn't seen her or spoken to her since I left, but her memory had stayed strong in my mind. Bobby and Lester exchanged glances out of the corners of their eyes. I felt my chest involuntarily tighten at the thought of something bad happening to her, but I would have been informed if she'd been hurt badly.

"She's fine," Bobby said, although it was obvious he was hiding something.

"Brown?" I questioned; hoping the authority in my voice would get me more answers.

"You should talk to her yourself," said Santos, his blank face in place.

We held eyes for a moment, but I could get nothing from his bright green orbs. I left the control room and jogged to the garage. I slipped the key into the ignition of the Turbo and pulled out of the building. It was only a ten-minute drive to the office, but it felt like hours.

I slipped into what Steph calls my zone and focused on the road in front of me. Connie would probably have some skips for me to bring in, but I'd wait a few days before going after them. I had a lot to catch up on. I pulled up on the curb and looked through the window into the office. Connie was sitting behind her desk painting her nails blood red, Lula was dressed in neon green spandex and was reading some fashion magazine. My Babe was flipping through some files, a small smile playing on her face that didn't quite reach her pretty blue eyes. She looked beautiful.

Just like in the control room, everyone stopped talking when I walked through the door. Lula let out a quiet yet high-pitched squeak and Connie dropped her bottle of nail paint. Steph just looked at me, an unreadable expression on her face, but I could tell she was surprised to see me. Hell, if someone I knew disappeared for a year without contact and then suddenly came back, I'd be surprised to.

"Lula, Babe," I nodded to them. "Got any files for me, Connie?"

She nodded slowly and reached into her top draw. She handed me three thick folders and sat there watching me. I stuck the files under my arm and turned to face Steph. "Can I talk to you for a minute? Outside?"

She hesitated for a moment before nodding and following me out of the door. I silently led her round the back to the alley.

We stood in silence for a while until her curiosity got the better of her. "Where have you been?" she asked.

"Can't tell you, Babe, it's classified," I knew she was used to that answer, so she dropped it. "Are you OK?"

She nodded once; her dark brown curls looked less lively than I remembered them. Her electric blue eyes were missing their usual spark, but she was probably just tired. "I don't…I don't know if your men told you, but…I'm married," she said.

I felt like someone had sucker punched me in the stomach, but I didn't show it. Instead I just narrowed my eyes. The Stephanie Michelle Plum I knew was scared stiff at the thought of the altar after her failed fist marriage to the Dick. If she told me she had a baby I was going to hit something. I looked down at her left hand and sure enough there was a diamond engagement ring and a simple gold band on her ring finger. Now I understood why she hesitated to leave the office with me. All of our previous meetings behind the office ended with me pinning her to the wall and kissing her. I just couldn't help myself; she's so beautiful. I love her – I fucking love her – and she's married to another man!

"Who?" I asked through clenched teeth, even though I already knew.

She looked at the ground and shift weight from on foot to the other. "Morelli," she whispered.

I couldn't believe that she had married that asshole. She deserved so much better than him. He was a respectable cop, but he was always trying to change the way she was. I couldn't understand why he couldn't see that if she changed, she wouldn't be the woman we both loved. And yet here she was, married to the cop and still working for Vinnie. Maybe he had changed his mind and finally accepted her for the way she was. I guessed it was partly my fault. I told her to go back to him after we slept together. She just couldn't understand that I wanted her to be safe, it was too dangerous for us to be in a relationship. If I fought harder for her, maybe she wouldn't be Mrs Joseph Morelli.

"Are you happy?" I asked her.

She nodded and smiled, but again, it didn't quite reach her eyes. I brushed a stray curl out of her face and rested my hand on her cheek for a moment to long. She was acting differently and I could have sworn she flinched slightly at my touch, but it was probably the shook of seeing me again after so long.

I smiled at her. "Do you need any help with your skips?"

She shook her head slowly. "I don't do that any more," she mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

She started playing with the hem of her shirt. "Lula's the one that goes after FTAs now. I'm the filing clerk."

I looked at her and realised she was serious. She had actually given up the job she loved. I was a fool to think that Morelli had changed. He had finally broken her, and she had given in. The asshole.

I had to get out of there before I shot something. Or someone, namely an Italian cop. Luckily my pager went off. I picked it up from my belt and looked at the screen. "I have to go," I kissed her gently on the cheek and started to walk away. I stopped as I reach for the door to the Turbo. "Congratulations, Babe. Call if you need anything."

I drove over the speed limit back to RangeMan. Tank had some explaining to do. I parked the Turbo and took the elevator to the control room. "Where's Tank?" I demanded. Bobby and Lester both pointed to his office.

I walked in without knocking and slammed my hands on the desk. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

He looked up and pushed his paperwork to one side. "Because it's none of my business. I thought you should hear it from her."

"When?" I said through gritted teeth.

"About four months after you left. She had a traditional 'Burg wedding. She invited us, but we chose not to go. We couldn't stand seeing her and the cop joined together in holy matrimony."

I pushed off from the desk and pounded my fist into the filing cabinet, denting it. It was just to dangerous for Steph and I to be together, but as selfish as it was, I didn't want her to be with anyone else – if I couldn't be with her then no one could.

"You alright man?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm going to bring in some skips," I said, slamming the door behind me.

This time I took the Porsche. I flipped through the file quickly. Marty Harris, arrested for murder and domestic violence, also had a history of drink driving and rape. Why does Vinnie write bail for these guys? His address was listed as an apartment on Stark Street.

The Slayer incident flashed through my mind. I remembered finding Steph asleep in my bed, smelling of Bulgari and waking up next to her in the morning. I pushed the memories of her getting captured out of my head and tried to concentrate on the task at hand.

I knocked on Harris' door and when I got no answer, I simply kicked it down. He was lying face down on the floor, obviously drunk. He was unconscious, so I handcuffed him and dragged him to the back of the car.

I looked up in disbelief at a red Firebird and saw Lula yelling through a door across the road. "Need any help?" I asked.

"Damn skippy. Damn skip locked herself in and won't come out," she said, her hands on her hips in what Steph calls her rhino mode.

"Name?"

"Sally Brooks."

"Arrested for?"

"Shoplifting at Macys."

Since I was too angry with Morelli to bother with B and E, I repeated what I did to Harris' door and kicked it down. I found Sally Brooks in the kitchen. "Car. Now," I said, my voice low and emotionless.

She paled and ran for the Firebird, locking herself in. Lula just smiled. "Batman, you are the shit. It's good to have you back."

I leaned back against her car and folded my ankles, and my arms across my chest. "You're one of Steph's closest friends, right?"

She nodded. "Sure am."

"Does she seem…different to you?" I asked.

She thought about it for a moment. "She's lost weight, said she's been going running a couple of times a week and is cutting the sugar out of her diet again."

That defiantly didn't sound like my Babe. She would never voluntarily run and she didn't need to diet. She was perfect.

I gave her a nod and drove to the cop station to get a body receipt for a still unconscious Harris. All eyes were focused on me as I handed him over. I looked around for someone I recognised and saw Eddie Gazzara by the front desk.

"Where's Morelli?"

Gazzara looked at me nervously. "He's investigating a homicide at the moment. Should be back in a few hours. Want me to give him a message?"

"No," I received a body receipt and left as suddenly as I had come.

I was in front of the bonds' office before I knew it. I sat there for a moment watching Stephanie. She had her back to the window and was standing in front of the filing cabinet. The diamond from her engagement ring caught in the light a shone brightly. Almost as brightly as she did.

I got out of the Turbo and handed Connie the receipt. She wrote me a check and I led Steph out back to the alley again. "Are you busy tomorrow night?" I asked.

"Why?" she questioned.

"I was hoping you'd be up for a distraction job."

She was closer enough that I could smell the vanilla scent of her hair, but there was also a hint of Morelli's after-shave on her. It took every bit of control I had not to kiss her there and then, and make her smell of Bulgari again.

"I can't," she finally said.

"Why not?" I asked, even though I had a dreading feeling I already knew.

She hugged her arms. "Because…Joe wouldn't like it. You turning up out of the blue, asking me to dress up in a skimpy outfit and taking me to a bar."

I understood where she was coming from. "I never intended to be away for so long."

She shrugged. "You could have…a phone call, even a letter would have been nice," she whispered. "I spent months wondering if you were still alive or wondering what you were doing."

"I wanted to get in touch with you, but it just wasn't possible."

We stood in silence for a while. "How about if I moved the distraction job to another day?"

She thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "He's working late the day after tomorrow."

I nodded and turned around. "I'll pick you up at eight."

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Not Cupcake friendly - Ranger's the good, Morelli's the bad and Steph's the broken. Thanks for all of the reviews I got for the last chapter! If I didn't reply to every review, know that I appreciate them all. Let me know what you think of the chapter.**

_That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore_

I arrived outside Morelli's – and Steph's – house at precisely eight o'clock. I dug a pin out of my pocket and slipped it into the lock. I unhooked the chain and waited in the living room. Sitting on the mantelpiece were framed pictures of their wedding. Tank was right when he said it was traditionally 'Burg. Steph was wearing a long white dress with no veil or sleeves. Her hair was straight and she had more make-up on than usual. Morelli had her arms around her, smiling into the camera. He was wearing a rented tux and had actually gotten a hair cut. There were various other photos from the day. Some of the girls' from the office, some of her family's close friends, and some of family relatives. I was pleased to see that there were no pictures of kids or ultrasounds. I couldn't bear to see her beautiful features mixed with the cop's.

She came down the stairs a few minutes later. She was wearing a long black gown that came down to her ankles and a black jacket. It was November after all. The dress was modest, yet a turn on just the same. Or maybe it was the woman in the dress. I noticed she was wearing extra coats of mascara. Her wild curls hung low below her shoulders and her blue eyes stood out in the dimly lit room.

"Ready to go?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest in an almost defensive gesture.

I sucked in a breath. "You look beautiful, Babe," I said.

She smiled shyly and thanked me. I led her to the Porsche and helped her into the passenger's seat. I filled her in on the details of the skip. Sam Taylor was in his thirties, sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and about six-foot tall. Physically, he reminded me a lot of Bobby. Except Bobby wasn't wanted for armed robbery that had resulted in the death of three innocent people. Again, why does Vinnie post bail for these guys?

I parked outside the bar and got a wire out of the glove compartment. I awkwardly handed it to her and looked away. I heard the fabric of her dress rustle as she attached the wire to her bra.

"Done," she said.

I turned around and noticed she looked a little…anxious, maybe. Like she just wanted to get it over with, usually she was all up for it and enjoyed watching men turn into dribbling idiots when she walked past them. But now the circumstances had changed. "You alright?" I asked.

She gave a nod.

"You have a panic button if you need it," I reminded her. "I'll be acting as the bartender for the night. Leave the car a few minutes after I do. Lester and Hal will be by the pool tables and Tank will be close by," I flashed her a quick smile and hopped out of the car. "Get em' tiger."

The corners of her mouth tipped up into a nervous smile. I shook it off as just nerves and entered the bar. Loud music was playing and the smell of smoke hung in the air. I slipped behind the desk and saw the skip sitting a few seats away.

Steph stumbled in twenty minutes later, a little shaky on her feet. She took the seat one away from the skip and ordered a drink. I didn't put any alcohol in it, know that she can't hold her drinks very well. I watched as she engaged in small talk with the skip. They got up and danced; I noticed her flinch at his touch, but he luckily didn't seem to notice. Or was too drunk to notice. He smiled at her, his yellow teeth showing.

I saw her say something to him, but I was to far away to pick it up. He took her arm and they headed for the door. I radioed for Ram and Bobby, who were by the door waiting to pick Taylor up.

The sound of a high pitched scream filled my ears and I felt my blood turn cold. I jumped over the counter and ran outside. Taylor was pinned to the front of the Porsche and being handcuffed and manhandled by Ram. Bobby was helping Stephanie to her feet. Her pale blue eyes were unfocused. I took her face in my hands and tilted her head up to look at me.

"Babe," I whispered.

"I'm OK," she said quickly. She raised a hand to the back of her head and winced. "Just a bump."

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Ram kick the skip in the knee. "What happened?" I asked, still not entirely convinced she was all right. I knew how much she hated hospitals.

"We left the bar. He turned around and pinned me against the wall, to kiss me I think. But at the time I thought he was going to hurt me," her voice sounded so small, like a child who knows they've done something wrong, or have lost their parents in a supermarket.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in for a hug. After a few seconds I remembered that she was married and pulled back, so the gesture would not be misinterpreted. "You did great, Babe," I said softly. "I'll give you a check tomorrow. Come on, I'll drive you home."

I looked at my watch. We still had a few hours before Morelli was supposed to return from work, but I didn't want him to see me dropping his wife home smelling of beer and smoke. I saw Tank drive the skip to the station and helped Steph into the car. We drove in silence, each in our own thoughts. I was a bit worried that she hadn't said anything the whole way to her house though. It wasn't like her to be that quiet for that long, but I didn't say anything. She handed me the wire and I watched until she unlocked the front door before I pulled away from the curb and drove back to RangeMan.

---

The following morning, after I went for a run and showered, I drove to the bonds' office to give Steph her check for her help with Taylor last night. Tank didn't return to the office after the takedown, so I assumed he'd spent the night with Lula, as I didn't see her inside. Connie was chatting away, Steph occasionally nodded and continued to file. It tore me apart to see her like that. It was obvious that she missed the thrill of bounty hunting, even if she did have a habit of rolling in garbage. It was one of the reasons Morelli wanted her to change. A 'Burg wife just didn't roll in garbage for a living.

Morelli. I hated him for what he'd done to Steph. She's not like the other women from the 'Burg, she's a free spirit that can't be contained or controlled, and that's one of the reasons I love her. If the cop and I just happened to meet one night in a dark alleyway, I'd show him a thing or two about respect for his woman.

I got out of the car and walked into the office. Connie stopped talking; the only sound was that of Steph shutting the filing cabinet. I indicated for her to follow me and led her outside again. A cold breeze blew, pushing my hair across my face. I had had it cut recently; it was long, but not long enough to be tied back. Steph shivered and wrapped her arms around her Rangers jersey.

We stood in the shadows of the alleyway, in case anyone saw us talking. I may not be pleased about her marriage to Morelli, – and I was sure that he'd have heard that I was back in town – but I didn't want to cause her problems if she was happy.

"Thanks for your help last night," I said, handing her the check. She put it in the pocket of her jeans without even reading it.

"How your head?" I asked.

She nodded. "It's fine."

I took a minute to look her over. I squinted slightly and noticed for the first time a mark across her face. It was covered in make-up and wouldn't be visible from a distance. But it was up close. I reached out and let my hand hover about her cheek for a few seconds before resting it there. "The skip do that?"

She nodded. I didn't believe her. I wanted to, I wanted to believe that it had happened when she tried to struggle against Taylor outside the bar last night, but something was telling me otherwise. The thought that she was being hurt made my blood run cold and boil at the same time.

I suddenly had a thought and slowly lifted the sleeves of her Rangers jersey. Her upper arms were covered in purple bruises and angry red welts, some looked quite recent. I felt the anger quickly rise in me, but tried to push it down and keep it at bay. "What happened, Babe."

She tried to pull away, but I held her in place against the wall. "Nothing," she insisted. "I fell down the stairs, it's rather embarrassing actually."

I didn't buy it for a minute. I knew that she frequently fell down stairs when she was a bounty hunter and she'd have to fall town the stairs a lot of times to get marks like that. "You sure?"

"I'm sure, Ranger. Now can we please drop it?" I noticed she was avoiding my gaze.

I brushed a stray curl out of her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead. I leant in closer to her. "You know you can tell me anything, don't you?" I said softly. "Just because your married doesn't mean I'm not willing to help you, Babe. I'll always help you."

She opened her mouth to say something, but ended up shaking her head. For once, her eyes gave away nothing. I didn't know if it was because I had been away for so long, but for once, I couldn't read her.

"You'd tell me if anything was wrong. Wouldn't you?" I felt her shiver; whether it was from the cold or from the proximity of my body to hers, I didn't know. She just nodded.

"Your happy, aren't you?"

She nodded again, and again I didn't believe her. I knew I shouldn't be happy that people were having marital problems, but it gave me hope that Steph might one day be waking up in my bed instead of the cop's. I had once told her that my life didn't lend itself to relationships, but that didn't mean I wasn't willing to try one with her. I'd do anything for my Babe.

She shivered and I took off my leather jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Good," I said. "Call me if you need anything."

I turned around and walked to my car. I was furious. I always knew Morelli was the wrong man for her, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine him physically hurting her. Now I understood why she had worn such a long dress for the distraction job last night, instead of the short ones that made her long legs look endless. Images of Steph lying on the floor, hurting and crying flashed into my mind. Before I knew it, I was in front of the cop station and barging into Morelli's office.

He was sitting behind his desk, typing what I guessed where reports. His dark hair hung over his darker eyes slightly. By the time I left, he'd probably had another scar to match the one through his right eyebrow.

I slammed my hands down on the desk. The whole situation reminded me of the one with Tank when I first found out about Morelli's marriage to Steph.

I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to pick him up by the front of his shirt and slam him against the wall, but I thought that doing that to a police officer in a police station probably wasn't my smartest move.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" he demanded, looking up at me. "Manoso? I heard you were back."

"What have you done to her?" I hissed.

He glanced at my hands on his desk for a second. "Done what to who?"

"You know who?"

I could sense a sarcastic remark on his tongue, but instead he said, "If I did, would I be asking?"

The urge to hit him was almost as strong as the urge to stick my tongue down Steph's throat.

"What have you done to my Babe?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Your Babe?" he said, amusement in his voice. "As I'm sure you've heard, Manoso, we got married. She's _my_ _wife_, not your babe. You have yourself to blame, really. You abandoned her and I was there to comfort her. Two months later, she accepted my proposal."

"I did _not_ abandon her, and she will always, always, be my Babe," I growled at him, fighting to keep my temper in check. I was thinking of giving him injuries to match Steph's. "And if you lay one finger, one finger," I emphasised. "On my Babe, then you will pay."

With that, I stormed out of the office as suddenly as I had entered and drove back to RangeMan to beat the crap out of one of my men at the gym. I'd pay the cop another visit later, once I'd made sure that Steph was alright.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know that Ranger would probably react a bit more viloently to the situation than he does in this chapter, but if he did he'd kill Morelli and that would be the end of the story, so I think I found a solution that was slightly more realistic. I know I've been really bad at responding to reviews, but my computer's been acting up and I was barely able to post this. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!**

_On my knees, I'll ask  
Last chance for one last dance  
'Cause with you, I'd withstand  
All of hell to hold your hand  
I'd give it all  
I'd give for us  
Give anything but I won't give up  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know..._

The next week passed slowly. I had a lot of work to catch up on and a lot of things to be briefed about, so I didn't get to see a lot of Stephanie.

After I got back from the cop station I had beaten the shit out of the first man I saw – Lester – in the gym for hours. I kept imagining the cop's Italian face in place of Lester's. Tank confronted me later in the locker room.

"You alright, man?" he asked, his big arms folded against his chest.

I just nodded and tried to brush past him, but he blocked the way and had the height advantage over me. I always hated him for his height. "It's just you looked like you were enjoying beating the crap out of your cousin. I haven't seen you that angry since the time he –"

"Don't say it," I snapped, I hated being reminded of that. I ran a hand through my thick hair, making it stand on edge. I sat down on the bench in front of the lockers and looked up at my best friend. "Does Steph seem…different in any way to you?"

He thought about it for a minute. "I don't know. I haven't seen her in a while. Bomber quit and stopped coming by when she got engaged to Morelli. I only see her when I drop Lula off at the bonds' office sometimes, and we usually don't talk much."

"But she doesn't seem…" I searched for the right word. "Off to you?"_  
_

He gave a Tank-shrug. "Last time I saw her was about three weeks ago. She seemed like Bombshell to me."

I nodded. Steph may have Tank and her friends fooled, but not me. I knew something was wrong and I had a pretty good idea what. The problem – well, one of the problems – was that I had no proof to support my theory. Judges and juries don't like that very often. Maybe I should have a word with her family? Perhaps they've noticed a change.

I tugged a black shirt over my head and took the elevator to the garage. I had some body receipts I wanted to check in at the bonds' office.

The drive felt longer than the ten minutes it took to get there. Once again, Lula's red Firebird was no where to been seen, so I guessed she was off chasing FTAs and making the world weirder place. Who would have thought? A plus sized black hooker turned bounty hunter cleaning the streets of crime?

Steph was digging through the filing cabinet, Vinnie standing behind her, taping his foot on the ground, obviously waiting for something from her. He turned around when I opened the door.

"Oh, thank God your back!" he said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Ever since Steph quit it's been hell. I get complaints almost every day, and she shoots people. Stephanie never shot people. She didn't even carry a gun!"

I assumed he was talking about Lula, but said nothing, just handed the receipts to Connie and told her to send the checks to RangeMan. I walked up to Steph and put a hand at the base of her neck. She flinched at my touch, and I felt ill at the thought of her being scared of me. I brushed back some of her wild curls and saw another fresh bruise where I had put my hand. My blood began to boil again and I all but dragged her out of the office to the alley.

"You fall down the stairs again?" I asked.

She squirmed for a second before answering yes. The squirming alone told me she was lying. "The Rangemen tell me you haven't been to see them for a while," I said, the corners of my mouth tugging into a smile. "They all miss their Bombshell."

She shrugged, but I could see in her eyes that she missed them. She'd become the annoying little sister they never had to many of them and she'd earned to the respect of them all. With the exception of Rodriguez, but he's an ass. I don't know why I hired him. I may have been drunk.

"Joe doesn't like me seeing them," she said.

I narrowed my eyes at her. Who was he to say whom she could and couldn't see? He didn't own her; she was her own person. A responsible adult and could make decisions for herself. "Tell me about the wedding," I said, folding my arms across my chest.

She didn't perk up like I hoped she would or like most women do when they relive what is meant to the best day of a girl's life. "It was nice. My aunt and uncle flew in from Florida, I got to meet all of Joe's Italian relatives, and no one got the Eye put on them by Grandma Bella."

Always a plus. I didn't know a lot about Italian voodoo, but I knew that Grandma Bella wasn't someone I wanted to walk into at night. What is it with elderly grandmothers?

"Where did you honeymoon?" I asked.

"Italy. Joe's uncle owns a hotel and we were able to stay there for two weeks," again, no change in her body language.

If I had to pick a place to take her for two weeks to celebrate what should be a joyous occasion, I'd have chosen somewhere exotic and tropical, like her. I'd have chosen somewhere with lots of sun and sand, and we'd have stayed in a private five star hotel. "You enjoy it?"

She nodded and stared at the floor for a moment, looking like she wanted to say something. "What is it, Babe?"

She looked up. "I…I thought I should let you know that I'm thinking of quitting."

I didn't say anything for a moment. I just stood there, looking at her with dark eyes. "Working for Vinnie?"

She gave another nod. She'd been doing that a lot recently.

Why would she stop working for Vinnie? She loved Lula and Connie, and she loved her job. There was only one reason as to why she would even consider quitting. And the more she told me, the less I liked it. "Why?"

"Well," she started. The way she dragged it out confirmed my suspicions. "Joe recently got a promotion and he says he's earning enough to support us both."

"You don't have to do what he says," I told her.

"'Burg wives don't work," she simply said.

"Babe," I said, meeting her gaze. "You're not a stay-at-home-clean-the-house kind of person. Your better thank that. Don't ever let anyone take that away from you. That's not the Stephanie I know and love."

An uncomfortable silence stretched between us and I tried to think of something to say. I didn't want to walk away; I wanted to be near her forever. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and hold her. I wanted to stroke her hair and tell her that everything would be OK. I wanted to make love to her for nights on end. And I wanted to be where Morelli was now.

It wasn't that I was jealous of him. Steph had made her choice and I respected that. As long as she was happy. Except she obviously wasn't and that was what was bothering me.

"Joe said you paid him a little visit the other day," she finally said, breaking the silence. I saw her wince slightly and fear flash through her eyes. "Care to explain?"

I gave a half shrug. "I just felt it was my job to tell him that if he hurt you I'd kick his ass. Usually when a woman gets married, it's the job of her father, but I felt obliged."

I rested my hand on her cheek and hoped she'd relax to my touch like she often did. Often had, I corrected myself. She seemed permanently tense. I positioned myself behind her and slowly began to rub her shoulders. Her muscles were knotted and stiff. I would have guessed that the stress was not from the pressure of getting the right files in order.

I came across a bruise and she winced again. "That was from the skip," she said before I was able to ask. For some reason, I believed her about that one.

"Didn't your husband notice?" the word husband was like venom and I was barely able to say it.

She stiffened and hesitated. She was living in fear and I hated it. I needed her to feel safe around me again before I could do anything about it. "He probably thought I got it when I fell –"

"Down the stairs?" I finished for her.

She nodded. I mentally sighed and then mentally shot something. It did little to ease my rage. "I have to be getting back," she muttered. "I've got work to do."

I watched her stumbled away and noticed for the first time that she was limping. Another injury sustained from 'falling down the stairs' I guessed.

I drove a block away from the office and dialled Tank's cell phone number. "Yo," he answered in typical RangeMan attire.

"It's me," I said.

I heard a mumbled voice in the background and heard him whisper: "It's Ranger."

Lula's voice came through the phone. "Yo, Batman, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to borrow yo' man for about an hour."

And then she hung up. Great, my second in command was out having a nooner. Seemed like everyone was getting some but me.

Judging from Steph's reactions and body language, I'd say the abuse only began a few weeks ago. I knew that as it got worse she'd withdraw further and further away from her friends and family. And me. And I wouldn't let that happen. But she was strong, and I respected her enough to let her fight her own battles and sort her own problems out. She was smart, and I knew she'd do what was best for her. However, if I saw her get any worse I'd do something about it, and it wouldn't be pretty. No one hurts my Babe and gets away with it. Morelli would pay whatever happened, but if he carried on, I'd kill him, cop or not. I'd have to ask Bobby about domestic violence victims and see what could be done to help them. I didn't think Steph would go to a therapist, she's too proud for that, but I'd be there for her whenever she needed me.

God help me, I need her.

I drove back to the office and took the elevator to the control room. "I want a man watching Steph's house at all times," I said. "And I want one following Morelli." Cal nodded and left the room.

I could tell they were all itching to ask questions, but no one did. They were probably more than slightly suspicious that she hadn't stopped by to see them or returned any of their calls, but they obeyed my orders without protest.

I took the elevator and used the key fob to get to the seventh floor. I shrugged my shirt off and got a bottle of chilled water from the fridge. I took a long pull and ran a hand through my hair. I felt responsible for what was happening to Steph. I had a strong feeling that if I had never left, she wouldn't have married the jerk-off and this wouldn't be happening to her. The second I saw her get any worse, the cop would disappear.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: The lyrics are from Nickelback's song Far Away, as I thought they fit the story quite well. JE owns everything but the mistakes, which are mine. Only one chapter after this, let me know what you think!**

_That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore_

Two weeks passed slowly. I couldn't get Stephanie out of my head. Every time I closed my eyes I saw her smile. Every time I went to sleep, she was in my dreams. Whenever it was silent I would hear her laugh. I was so focused on her the skip I was chasing a few days earlier was able to shoot me in the arm and then give me the slip.

I sometimes wondered what my life would be like without her if I hadn't have done that favour for Connie. I would probably be living in Miami and letting work rule and dominate my life. The thing with Scrog may not have happened, but then I wouldn't have gotten to know my daughter. I first realised I loved Steph when I walked into her apartment when Edward Scrog had both her and Julie hostage. I had always protected her because I felt responsible for her, but it was then I realised that I did it because I loved her, and couldn't live with myself if anything ever happened to her. And that was why I was sitting in front of her house on Slater Street.

I'd made a visit to the Plum household earlier. Ellen Plum was in denial about anything being wrong, but Frank Plum and Mrs Mazur said that they had noticed changes in Stephanie's behaviour, but they didn't know what. I told them I'd make sure she was OK.

For the past two weeks, I'd made sure Morelli had someone watching him every minute of the day. He went to work in the morning, he went to investigate cases, he sometimes went to a bar with some of his friends from work, and then he would go home.

Or at least he usually did. Two days ago I was following him in an SUV. I drove several cars behind him to avoid being seen and followed him to a motel just outside of Trenton. I assumed he was there for an investigation, but when Teri Gilman showed up a few minutes later, I realised that was probably not the case.

The bastard actually had the nerve to cheat on one of the most beautiful women in world. I wanted to slam the door to his room open and put a bullet through his dick, but then I thought it would be much more satisfying to see Steph shoot him herself.

I looked at my watch; I had a good few hours until Morelli was due home. I was going to see Steph anyway but I suddenly got the feeling she needed me and told Tank to bring in the skip I had been chasing. I don't know how I knew that she needed me, but I did.

I got out of the car and picked the locks on the front door with a thin pin I kept in my back pocket. It was still early, but the sun had gone down long ago. All of the lights were switched off and I heard Bob the dog snoring lightly in the kitchen. That wasn't the only thing I heard. Muffled whimpers and quiet sobs. Steph was sitting in the corner of the room with her legs brought up to her chest and her forehead resting against her knees.

It completely tore me apart. The thought that someone could hurt such a perfect woman so badly and then go out and sleep with another. I briefly reconsidered my plan to let Steph take care of him. First I'd blow his balls off with the biggest gun I could find, then I'd get a knife out and –

"Babe," I whispered. She was wearing black sweats and a tank top, the bruises on her upper body clearly visible against her pale skin.

She looked up in alarm, but seemed to relax when she saw it was me. She let out a soft sob and looked at the floor. I knelt down on one knee in front of her and brushed a curl out of her face. "Stephanie," I whispered, gently and slowly wrapping my arms around her frail form.

She buried her head in my shoulder and I felt my shirt get wet as she silently sobbed. I gently ran my hands down her body checking her for injuries. Satisfied when I didn't find any broken bones, I held her until her cries turned into the occasional whimper, stroking her hair and rocking her back and forth. "I've got you."

She had her hand fisted in my shirt, her chest pressed against mine; I noticed she wasn't wearing a bra. It wasn't helping the situation. "Tell me what happened, Babe."

She was silent for ages and I decided not to push her, she'd tell me when she was ready. I hoped. Steph never was one to admit that she needed help that quickly. I felt her lips move against my neck as she mumbled something. "What was that?"

"Joe," and then I felt fresh tears soak my shirt.

"Tell me what happened," I repeated. I couldn't believe that Morelli had finally crushed her spirit. She had given into his wishes and had quit the job she loved and this was how he repaid her? He had reduced the woman he supposedly loved into a crying mess. He didn't love her. Not the way I did. He loved her for her body, not for her mind. I loved her for everything.

I felt her swallow and take a deep breath. It took all I had to keep the rage down that was threatening to take control of me. "Everything started out so perfectly," she said softly, her voice full of sorrow and pain. "My mom and Angie Morelli were so happy that we were finally coming to our senses and getting married. They planned the wedding themselves. It was like…something out of a fairly tale and it looked like I might live happily ever after. It was great for the first few months; I was married to a man I loved. I never forgot about you though, I thought about you every day, wondering if you were still alive."

"I thought about you to, Babe. All the time," I told her.

"The…trouble started a few weeks ago. Just before you got back. God, I'm so glad you came back," she sobbed.

"Shhh," I whispered into her hair. I ran my hand up and down her back, being careful of the marks I knew were there. "Of course I came back. And my contracts over now, I won't ever have to go away for that long again. Did you honestly think I'd leave you?" I asked.

She gave a half shrug. "God, Babe, I love you. The past year was the worst one of my life. I hated being so far away from you."

"You…you l-love me?" she half-stuttered half-sobbed. God, she was a mess.

"Stephanie, of course I do. Please stop crying, I hate it when you cry."

"Joe hated it too, it just made him angry…"

I mentally shot myself. Sure Manoso, make her worse why don't you? "What did he do?" I needed to hear it from her in case it was worse than I thought. "Please tell me," I said, knowing the 'please' would get her. She could never resist it when I acted normal.

"We were happy at first. We agreed not to think about having children until at least year after we got married. Which is good, I would hate to bring an innocent child into this," my leg was beginning to ache at the position we were in, but I ignored it and waited for her to carry on. "I don't know what happened, but he started drinking – more than just a few beers during a game. I mean seriously drinking. He came home drunk one day and that's how it started. He hit me and came home drunk every night for the rest of the week. The abuse got worse, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. He didn't even hit me hard enough to leave a mark. Then…" she trailed off.

"Then what?"

"Then you came back," she whispered. "He said he drove past the office one morning and saw us in the alley. He assumed I was cheating on you and…" she didn't need to carry on. I knew where she was going.

I felt like she'd slapped me. I couldn't believe that I was responsible for what had happened to her. I was trying to protect her.

"Steph, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged and started to choke slightly. I waited for her coughing fit to subside before I continued. "Why Steph?"

"I was ashamed. I was always running to you for help, I wanted to take care of my own problems instead of bugging you. I tried to fight back – like you taught me – but he was too strong."

A few weeks before I left I had taken the time to teach her self-defence. I needed to know she would be able to keep herself safe while I was away, I just thought she would be defending herself against skips or stalkers, not her own husband. Not against the man that was supposed to hold and protect her.

I cupped her tear stained face in my hands and brought it up to look me in the eyes. "_Never_ feel that you can't come to me with a problem, no matter how big or small," I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and picked her up off of the floor. "I'm getting you out of here."

I carried her to the couch and wrapped a blanket I got from the closet around her. "I'll be back in a second," I said, looking at my watch. Shit, Morelli was due back in a few minutes.

I took the stairs two at a time and found a duffel bag in Steph and Moelli's room. I stuffed everything I could – clothes, shoes, make-up – into it and jogged back down stairs. Stephanie was lying on the couch, her knees brought up to her chest. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed Rex's cage off of the table and left a simple note that even he should be able to understand in his drunken state, for Morelli.

_I've taken her where you can't hurt her._

"What about Bob?" I asked, looking at the big orange mutt on the floor. "Has Morelli ever hurt him?"

She shrugged. "I don't think so."

Good, there wasn't much room in the car anyway and Bob had a tendency to drool, but I'd send someone to pick him up tomorrow. I knelt down in front of her again, painful aware of the fact that we didn't have much time left. "Do you still love him?"

I was surprised to see her think about it for a moment. "I love Joe, but I don't love Morelli."

I nodded in understanding. Joe was a respectable cop that loved her and wanted to marry her. Morelli was a drunken sex fiend that abused his wife and cheated on her – although she didn't know that yet. He had become a typical Morelli man.

"My mother tried to tell me to stay away from him, but I didn't listen," she whispered.

I took her face in my hands. "She was also the one who pressured you to marry him," I said.

I flipped the screen up on my cell phone and gave Junior a call. "Yo," he answered on the second ring.

"Where is he?"

"Just left the station now."

I hung up. All of my men knew that there was something going on and I knew that they all had a pretty god idea of what, although no one had voiced their opinion. At least not in my presence.

I looked back at Steph. "Can you walk?"

She nodded and I swung my bag over her shoulder and tucked Rex's hamster cage under my arm. I watch her limp to the door, but hesitate as she got to it.

"What if –"

I opened the door and entwined our fingers. "I'll keep you safe."

I helped her into the car and put her stuff in the back seats, strapping the hamster cage in so it didn't fall to the floor. I took Steph's hand in mine, noticing how tense she was, and pulled away from the house.

The drive to RangeMan seemed longer than the usual ten minutes. I ran my thumb over Steph's knuckles and wrapped my jacket around her when we came to a stop light. I had given my men orders not to allow Morelli into the building. I pulled up into the garage and heard Steph snoring lightly. I reached over and brushed a stray curl behind her ear. I opened the door and lifted her into my arms. She fit perfectaly. I kissed the top of her head and took the elevator to the seventh floor, where I'd be able to keep her safe.

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well, here's the last chapter. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed, it means a lot. For disclaimer, see chapter one. Hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think!**

_I wanted  
I wanted you to stay  
'Cause I needed  
I need to hear you say  
That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I forgive you  
For being away for far too long  
So keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go_

Three hours later I called for Bobby to come and check her over. She probably wouldn't let me when she was awake and I felt bad betraying her trust, but I needed to make sure that she was all right, and the men all love her. I set next to her head running my hands gently through her hair and playing with her curls while Bobby looked her over. He looked for any broken bones or fractures, but shook his head no when he didn't find anything, his blue eyes soft and caring.

When he was done he indicated for me to follow him out of the room. Steph let out a sound of protest in her sleep when she felt my hand leave her hair. "Shhh," I whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Bobby ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair, making it stand on edge. "As far as I can tell, she's fine, just a little bruised. She may have sprained her ankle, but she could have just tripped. I don't suppose she'd see a doctor?" he asked.

I was relieved that she hadn't been hurt that badly. "Not a hope in hell, Bob," I said with a shake of my head.

"Give her this," he handed me a bottle of gel from his bag. "It'll help with the bruises. Call if you need any help."

I thanked him and walked him to the door. Bobby was the only man in the building who had anything resembling medical training – at least, pass what we got in Special Forces. We'd known each other for a long time and he was one of the members of the core team, along with Lester, Tank and I. He paused with his hand on the door handle. "It was Morelli, wasn't it?" he asked, although it was obvious he already knew. I hadn't told anyone about him cheating on Steph with Teri Gilman yet.

I nodded, and then realised he was still looking ahead of him, not moving. "I'll take care of it."

He opened the door. "Call me."

I said I would and thanked him again. Bobby wasn't one to gossip about people's personal business – doctor patient confidentiality. I knew he wouldn't confirm anyone's suspicions. I understood what he meant; he wanted in on my Blowing Morelli's Balls Off With the Biggest Gun I Could Find plan. He and a dozen others I was sure.

I looked at my watch and realised it was getting late. Stripping off my clothes as I went, I took a quick shower and changed into a pair of black silk boxers. I slipped into bed beside Steph and pulled her closer to me, her back pressed my front.

Dios, I needed her in my life. I had never realised just how much until I didn't get to see her for a year – of course returning with the intention of confessing my love only to find that she was married to another man didn't help much. I needed her underneath me at night, screaming my name in pleasure. I needed her in my arms in the morning. I needed her like I needed air to breathe. And I needed her by my side, always.

The following morning I woke up at five. I decided to forget about my morning workout as I had more pressing matter to deal with. I showered and left a note for Steph on the off chance that she woke up before I got back. Pressing a kiss to her forehead I took the elevator and told the men in the control room to keep an eye on the corridor outside my apartment.

I brought my Babe a dozen doughnuts and then went to the store to buy her some comfort food to keep her going. If she had to face salad in her state I think that would be the final straw.

She was still asleep when I returned to my apartment, so I put the food away and made a pot of coffee. I hoped to slip past Steph and have a quick shower, but when I opened the bedroom door she was thrashing around on the bed, tears streaming down her face, trapped in a nightmare that looked worse than her reality.

"Babe!" I said, trying to shake her awake.

She quickly sat up looked around, breath heavily, her chest rising and falling in a very attractive manor. God, everything little thing she does turns me on.

"Steph?" I said, a little more forcefully this time. I took her face in my hands and wiped away the salty tears staining her face. "Look at me."

Her blue eyes slowly looked up to my brown ones. "It was just a dream," I whispered against her lips. I couldn't help myself from slowly lowering mine to hers. I pulled back almost immediately, realising my mistake, but she seemed to relax slightly.

"What happened?"

She leaned into me and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Joe…he…" she trailed off. She never was one to talk about her feelings, or her emotions, or her fears.

"Stephanie," I said, using her full name to get her attention. It worked; she stopped talking. "Your safe now. He can't get you here. I won't let him come near you and I won't ever let him hurt you again. Hell, I'll have him shipped off to the middle of Africa if you want."

She took my words in but shook her head. Damn.

"Oh, God," she said. "What's my mom going to say when she finds out I left Joe? And that I'm in your bed!"

I almost smiled. "Babe, your mother is a strict Catholic, right?"

She nodded once. "That means that the only appropriate reason for a divorce is if one commits adultery, correct?" I asked, even though I knew it was.

She nodded again. "Why?"

I opened my mouth to tell her about the affair, but decided against it for the moment. "I have something to show you later. Why don't you go and take a shower? I brought you some doughnuts and I'll have Ella get some clothes for you."

A tiny match was lit in her eyes at the mention of food. She slowly sat up and made her way to the bathroom, limping as she went. I made a mental note to give her that gel Bobby gave me and went to pour her some fresh coffee.

I felt the tape in my pocket pressing against my hip. I had video evidence of Morelli sleeping with Gilman; I didn't have any idea as to what Steph's reaction would be. I knew that she should speak to someone about what she had been through, but I also knew that the chances of that actually happening were very few. Maybe she'd talk to me or one of my men.

Steph came out of the bedroom in one of my shirts and a pair of sweats from the last time she was here, years ago. Her hair was wet and loose below her shoulder; for once she didn't look like she cared. I pulled out a chair for her and handed her a mug and the bag of doughnuts. She gave me a small smile and took a bite out of one. I took a sip of black coffee and watched her eat. I was pleased to see her eat three more, she'd lost a lot of unnecessary weight since I left. I used to make her go running, not because I was worried about her weight, but because I was worried about her health, but now I wanted to get as many calories in her as I could if it meant getting the old Stephanie Plum back.

I waited until she was dressed before I told her about her husband's affair with the silicon-boobed-bleached-blonde-mob-princess. I took the tape out of my pocket and palmed it in my hand. I sat her down on the couch and ran a hand through my hair. "I don't know how to tell you this…and I don't want to do this, but I think you need to see it," I put the tape in the played and press the 'play' button on the remote.

I had recorded the video through a window in the motel where I had followed Morelli. He was leaning over Gilman and screwing her brains out on the bed. I felt Steph tense next to me and she drew her legs up to her chest, pulling the front of my shirt over her knees. I noticed she was holding her breath and I rested my hand over hers. I wanted to stop the tape, but I needed her to see what Morelli was capable of and how much he obviously cared about her. Or didn't care.

"Oh, God!" Gilman moaned. "Oh, God, Joe!" and then she screamed. Bitch.

More tears rolled down Stephanie's cheeks, but I didn't know whether they were from sadness, pain or anger. I hopped it was the latter. It would make it easier when I killed him.

We sat in silence once the video had ended neither of us saying anything. Eventually she leaned into me and I wrapped my strong arms around her. "I'm so sorry."

She sniffled. "I should have known he wasn't working late all those nights."

"I'll make him pay for hurting you, Babe. I promise," I pressed a kiss into her wild curls.

She shook her head. "I'll take care of it."

I slowly nodded and rocked her backwards and forwards. I pulled away and looked at her, she looked exhausted. "I'm gonna go and take care of a few things at the office. Will you be all right here? I can have Lester come and keep you company," I asked. She and Lester had bonded in a way that had people slightly worried. It was never good when Lester found someone with the same sense of humour as himself.

"I'm OK," she said, brushing some stray curls out of her face.

I gave her hand a squeeze and turned around. "Call me if you need anything. I'll bring back pizza."

I stood outside the door for a moment before stepping into the elevator. I took a couple of extra weapons and told the men in the control room to watch the corridor outside my apartment while I was gone.

"I'm going after Morelli," I said to Tank. "You guys get whatever's left."

He gave me a nod and I headed for the garage. I considered kidnapping Morelli, tying him to a chair and slowly cutting off body parts, but that seemed like such a Jack Bauer thing to do. Although no amount of pain would even let him off the hook for what he did to my Babe.

I drove over the speed limit and skipped two red lights until I got to the station. I threw the door to Morelli's office open and then slammed it shut. The cop was mere inches from me in a second. His hair was hanging over his eyes, but the anger was still clear in them. He had a five o'clock shadow across his jaw and his shirt was creased.

"Where is she?" he growled at me.

I had my hand on my gun. "I've taken her where you can't hurt her," I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

"She's my wife, Manoso," he hissed, his voice low.

My hand tightened on my weapon slightly. "If you loved her you, wouldn't have hurt her."

I saw something flash through his eyes and he hesitated before he spoke, "I don't know what you're talking about."

I smirked smugly and took him by the front of his shirt, swiftly slamming him against the wall. "I know you do. In fact, Steph told me everything, I know all about your little game. Do you think it's fun hurting innocent people, you dumb fuck?" I demanded, my voiced raised slightly, but not loud enough for anyone to hear us. "Do you enjoy watching your wife suffer – the woman I love suffer? Do you get enjoyment out of her pain and tears?"

I sucked punched him in the gut because I didn't want to hear his answer. As he doubled over in pain I knelt down in front of him and whispered in his ear, "Why did you do it?"

"If you don't give her back in the next hour, I'll arrest you for kidnapping," he spat, his eyes cold and hard.

I smiled angrily and slammed him against the wall again. "Stop talking about her like she's a fucking possession. She belongs to no one, especially you. And I would never kidnap her, she came with me of her own free will," I slammed him fist into his stomach again.

"I know about the affair with Teri Gilman, and so does Steph."

His head shot up and his dark brown eyes met mine, full of hatred and rage. "You have no proof."

"Yes I do. I showed my Babe a videotape of the two of you going at it in a motel room," I smiled at the reaction I got from him. Guilt, but it was probably guilt from getting caught.

"Now here's what's going to happen, you are going to ask her for a divorce, you are going to give up everything, you are going to request a transfer out of the state and you are going to leave her alone. No one will ever have to know about any of this, but if you so much as look at her after this, I _will_ kill you," I hissed. "I can have the divorce finalised by Monday. This is non negotiable," I waited a few seconds for my words to sink in before hitting him in the face, knocking him unconscious. He fell to the floor and I kicked him for good measure. I didn't think it would be wise to kill him at a police station.

I closed the door silently behind me, acting like I hadn't just beaten the crap out of one of the top officers, and drove back to RangeMan. I nodded to Tank as I walked to the elevator. "He's all yours."

Steph was lying on the couch, wrapped in the blanket I brought from Morelli's house. A plate was sitting on the coffee table in front of her with cake crumbs on. I smiled and sat down, lifting her head gently so she was lying on my lap. It was a good few minutes before she spoke.

"Is he…"

"He's going to ask for a divorce and then a transfer. I can have everything taken care of by Monday."

She shifted and sat up. We sat in silence for a while longer before I worked up the courage to say what I wanted to since the day she walked through the door of that diner and into my life. "Listen, Steph," I started, searching for the right words but not finding any. "I know that it's going to be a long time before you can properly trust people, especially men, again. But I was wondering, when you're feeling better...maybe we could try a...aw fuck it!" I said, slamming my lips down onto hers in a gentle yet passionate kiss. When I felt her start to kiss me back I pulled away.

"I love you, Ranger," she mumbled. "I love you so much. Thank you for saving me."

"Not a problem, Babe. Never a problem. I love you too."

Days later word had gotten around the 'Burg that she had left Morelli. People must have put two and two together, as the cop got the shit beaten out of him several times. He had injuries that matched those he gave Steph and then some. I had paid him another visit late last night and helped him to 'fall down the stairs'. I had hoped he wouldn't bother her again, but I had arranged it so that he transferred to Boston, where I could have one of the men from RangeMan Boston watch him. And it would give them something to hit when they got bored.

Steph had decided to stay at my apartment for the moment, which was more than OK with me. I didn't push her into anything she didn't want to do. She spend most of her time either watching movies on the plasma screen or running searches on skips that she'd ask me to get for her. The men were all very caring with her, but she still jumped and flinched whenever anyone silently touched her from behind to get her attention. We hadn't goten much further than the odd peck on the mouth. I knew it would be a while before she was back to normal, but I was willing to wait because I loved her. And when she was ready, we'd finally be happy together.

**I know the comment about Jack Bauer was a bit out of character, but who knows what Ranger watches - if anything - in his spare time. Hope you enjoyed it!**


End file.
